Gun perforator cartridge



March'3, 1953 c. J. MCWHORTER 2,630,067

GUN PERFORATOR CARTRIDGE Original Filed Dec. 26, 1944 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN V EN TOR. CULE/ d Med/H0975@ March 3, 1953 c. J. McwHoRTER GUN PERFORATOR CARTRIDGE' Original Filed Deo. 26, 1944 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 fr ogm MEN Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT FFCE GUN PERFORATOR. CARTRIDGE Cullen J. McWhorter, New Iberia, La., assigner to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware 6 Claims. (Cl. 102-38) My invention relates to gun perforators and finds its principal application in devices adapted to be lowered into a Well casing for the purpose of ring bullets through the casing walls to form openings for the entrance of oil and this application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 569,834-, filed December 26, i944 now Pat. No. 2,426,517. Among the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a gun perforator wherein gun cartridges are initially stored in one or more magazines and fed into a gun barrel adapted to move from a vertically directed loading position to a laterally directed firing position;

Second, to provide a gun perforator which utilizes the elements and actuating mechanism of my Side Wall Sampling Tool described in the aforesaid copending application, with little change in its construction, the gun cartridges being capable of conforming substantially in size and shape to the core cup therein disclosed; and

Third, to provide a gun perforator wherein a large number of gun cartridges may be carried in a gun structure of relatively short length and light weight.

These and other objects, advantages and features of novelty will be evident hereinafter in connection with the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and in -which the same reference characters refer to the :same or similar parts throughout the several iig- `ures:

Figure 1 isa fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of my gun perforator:

Figure 2 is -a fragmentary longitudinal sectional sectional View of the lower portion of my tool, econtinuing from Figure l, showing the gun barrel in a retracted position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through 3 3 of .Figure 2, illustrating one ci the cartridge magazines;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view through 4--4 of Figure 2, showing partially in elevation and partially in section the breech end of the gun barrel;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view oi the breech portion of the gun barrel and its connection to the elevating mechanism; v

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the gun barrel in its r extended firing position;

Figure 7 is an enlarged .transverse sectional View taken at i-T of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional new taken at 8-8 oi Figure 2,; 'and Figure 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal View taken through one of the cartridges, the plunger and one of the plunger extension units attached to the end of the plunger.

In my previous application hereinbefore mentioned a series of sampler cups were stored in magazines and fed, one at a time, into a core barrel. In the` present invention a series of gun cartridges similar in proportion to the sampler tubes are stored in magazine units and fed, one at a time, into a gun barrel. The operating mechanisms, to accomplish the necessary relative movement of the parts in the present case, are essentially the same as those shown in my aforementioned application and, therefore, only one of the suitable alternative operating mechanisms is herein illustrated.

Referring now primarily to Figures 1, 2, 7 and 8, the actuating mechanism of the present invention is enclosed in a shell il) which makes screwed coupling with a coaxial housing II which may in turn be connected at its upper end by suitable means to a supporting conductor cable (not shown). Within the housing II are an electric motor I2 and a gear reduction unit I3. The gear reduction unit I3 drives a jack screw I4 which extends downwardly coaxial with the housing IU through a packing gland i5 provided in the lower end of the said housing I I. Mounted around the threaded portion of the jack screw I is a traveler I5 which is constructed in the form of a split nut, comprising two or three internally threaded segmental portions which are separable radially sufficiently to clear the jack screw threads by the force of helical springs I'I acting tangentially under compression between the traveler segments, as shown in Figure 7.

Surrounding the traveler i6 and extending Adownwardly therefrom is a tubular cage structure I 8, the lower end of which is threadedly connected at i9 with a plunger head 20 shown at the lower end of thea'pparatus of Figure land fragmentarily shown at the upper end of the continuation thereofin Figure 2. The plunger head 2B carries a downwardly projecting plunger rod 22 which operates in connection withapparatus of the invention, as more fully described hereinafter.

Between the tubular cage I3 and surrounding shell I is ttedj-a cylindrical latching liner 25 which extends from a supporting ila-nge 2B seated in the upper end of the shell IQ downwardly to a point 21 located a substantial distance above the top of the beforementioned plunger head 2i! when the plunger head is located in its uppermost position, as shown in Figure 1. The lower portion of the latching liner 25, extending downward from shoulder 26, is formed with a section of reduced external diameter which, together with an adjacent section 29 of reduced internal diameter in the shell ID, forms an annular cavity adapted to house a helical actuating spring 3G. The actuating spring 3l) is maintained under compression at all times and thus applies force downwardly upon the outer marginal portion 3! of the beforementioned plunger head 20.

The beiorementioned traveler I6 is operatively connected with the cage I8 by means of exible latching arms 33 which are rigidly attached at their lower ends to the inside of the lower enlarged portion of the cage I8, and extend upwardly with slight inward inclination to points opposite the traveler I6. Each latching armA 33 is provided with outwardly extending lugs 34 and inwardly extending lugs 35 adapted, respectively, to engage an annular groove 36 formed in the inner surface of the latchi'ng liner 25 or engage the sockets 3l formed in the outer faces of the segments comprising the traveler I6. Longitudinal slots 38 are provided through the walls of vthe cage i8 to accommodate the lugs Sil and the latching arms 33 when they are deected to their maximum outward positions. The traveler i6 is urged downwardly between the latching arms 33 by means of a traveler spring 39 which, when the device is in the position shown in Figure l, is positioned and acts under compression between the bushing dll bearing upon the upper end of the segments of the traveler It and the upper inner end L!! of the cage I8.

The latching arms 33Vare provided with inwardly extending shoulders d3 which, in the position shown in Figure l, extend under and support the lower ends of the segments of the traveler lli. These shoulders 43 are adapted when the latching arms and traveler are in their lowermost position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure l, to rest upon the upper spiral surface of a retraction head 45 which is xed to the lower end of the jack screw I4. In this position the outer lugs 34 of the arms 33 have been moved down to a position below the lower end 2'! of the liner 25 and are thus freed to move radially outward through the slots 38 a suicient distance to allow the segments of the traveler to open and disengage the jack screw threads.

The actuating mechanism hereinbefore described is adapted to cause controlled reciprocation of the plunger head 20, as will be described hereinafter.

Located below the plunger head 20, in the lower end of the shell IB, is a magazine container-section shown at 46. The lower end of the magazine shell section 45 is screw-threaded at 4l to the upper end of a body member 48. A magazine rod 49 is also screw-threaded at 50 into the upper end of the body member 48 and extends longitudinally through the central portion of the magazine shell e and through a guide opening 5i in the central portion of the plunger 20. The magazine rod d8 thus extends the length of the magazine shell and is eccentrically located with respect to the axis, as best shown in Figure 3. The upper end of the magazine rod 49 ts slidably through a suitable guide opening 5l in the plunger head 2G as before mentioned to provide for downward motion of the plunger head 2c in operation, as hereinafter described.

The beforementioned plunger rod 22 depends from the lower surface of the plunger head 2E?.

and extends slidably into the bore 52 of an elevator drive member 53. The elevator drive member 53 makes a sliding t in a suitable guide recess formed in the inner surface of the magazine shell section at, as shown in section at iis in Figure 3. Secured to the inner upper side of the elevator member 53 is a flexible latch member 5e having a double-ended head carrying inner and outer lugs 5l and 58, respectively. The inner lug 5l is adapted to engage an annular notch 60 encircling the magazine rod le and in operation be retained therein by reason of the restraining, sliding contact of the outer end of the outer lug 58 with the surface of the plunger rod 22, thereby serving to lock the elevator member 53 in its fully retracted position, as shown in Figure 2. The plunger rod 22 is provided with a notch. al formed in its upper, inner surface, said notch being adapted to receive the outer lug 58 of the head of the latch member 56 at the downward `limitof the motion of the plunger rod 22 into the elevator member bore, thereby to allow the inner lug 51 to disengage the groove 6c and unlock and free the elevator 53 for downward movement together with the plunger rod 22 and plunger head 20 for effecting extension of the gun barrel from its retracted position, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

lThe lower end of the magazine shell section is adapted to receive a plurality of containers or magazine units as shown at t2. Each magazine unit is in the form of a rectangular tube bent approximately in the form of a C to follow the contour of the inner wall of the lower end of the magazine shell, as best shown in cross section in Figure 3. One open end extremity of the magazine unit abuts the exposed side of the elevator member 53 and registers with an elongated side opening 63 provided therein. An intermediate portion of the inner wall of each magazine unit is cut away to form a slot 65 to receive the outer free end 65 of a feed spring 51 which is coiled around the magazine rod 49.

The said outerend S6 of the feed spring is adapted to bear against the side of the end one of a series of cylindrical vcartridges 63 which iit and are contained side by side slidably within the magazine unit. The outer end of the spring 61 is anchored by suitable means to the magazine rod is around which it is wound.

In order to adapt the plunger rod 22 to the loading of the cartridges from a plur-ality of superimposed magazines it is necessary to extend the length of the plunger rod as each magazine is emptied in succession from the uppermost one to the lcwermost one of the series. For this purpose it is necessary to provide a dummy cartridge or aplunger extension unit of the type shown in Figure 9 in each magazine except the lowermost magazine in the chamber. This extension unit is located in each magazine in position to be ejected from the magazine last, after ejection of the load of cartridges therein. The extension units comprise a tubular body 68 which is tted at the upper end with a bifurcated latching spring lil having `outwardly directed hooks 1l. The lower end of the plunger rod 22 is provided with a hollow, section 72 having a flange 3 which, when it is lowered into contact with the end of the extension unit and over the l-atching member, interlock with the hooks 13 of the spring 7c, thereby firmly'coupling the plunger rod 22 and extension unitl together end to end.A

The'lower end of each of the extension units is provided with internal flanges 15 of the same form as that in the plunger rod 22 for attachment of other extension units as the magazine units are emptied.

Each cartridge 6B comprises a tubular barrel liner section 'Vl and a breech end portion 18, as best shown in Figure 6. The breech end portion of said cartridge is provided with a small axial opening enlarged at its outer end to receive a firing pin '59. The opening is closed at its inner end by a fluid seal member 80 constructed in the .form of a short pin of reduced diameter having ahead which underlies the inner end of the ring pin. The said inner end of the firing pin 'I9 is correspondingly reduced in diameter to form a punch adapted to drive into the opening which receives the uid seal member 89 and force the fluid seal member 39 into a percussion element 8| provided at the breech end of the barrel liner. The inner end of the barrel liner receives an explosive charge or cartridge $2 and against the outer end of this is positioned a bullet 83. The outer end of the barrel liner is preferably closed, fluid-tight, by a seal disc S5. The outer surface of the breech end portion i8 of the barrel liner is serrated by means of a plurality of annular grooves, as shown at 95.

The firing pin i9, when it is in its outermost position, does not extend beyond a flush position with respect to the breech end of the cartridge, but sets within a cross slot 81. As will be u brought out more fully hereinaftery the cross slot 81 is adapted to align with a firing pin actuator cam 533, and in order that it occupy a correctly oriented position within the gun barrel for entrance of the actuator cam into the slot 87, one corner of the breech end 19 of each cartridge is provided with an aligning notch 59 into which fits a guide rib 99. The guide rib Sii is carried by and extends around the inner upper periphery of the magazine unit, as best shown in Figure 3.

The lower end of the elevator member 53 is shaped to form a yoke, as shown at 9 l, the bifurcated members of which are pivotally connected by pins 92 to the rear end of a gun barrel 93. The gun barrel is shaped in the form of a heavy walled tubular member, its upper breech end having a semi-cylindrical surface having a center line of curvature coinciding with the axis of the elevator hinge pins 92 in the yolre 9i and fitting a corresponding cylindrical bearing surface in the crotch of the yoke. Flanking the cylindrically curved ends of the barrel 93 are slop-ing shoulders 94. The breech bore of the barrel 93 is adapted to slidably receive a cartridge and its breech end portion is provided with a split recoil bushing 95 having internal serra-tions 95. The split bushing 95 is formed of two diametrically positioned elements slidably supported in suitable lateral recesses in the breech and having exposed surfaces of cylindrical form. conforming with the adjacent surface of the gun breech and adapted to bear against the adjacent surface of the yoke in the locking position and against the recoil shoe in the firing position. The serrations 95 of the recoil bushing and those on the breech end of the cartridge are adapted, in operation, to engage one another in such a manner as to allow the cartridge to be moved forwardly through the recoil bushing into the gun barrel breech, but not in the reverse direction.

In its fully retracted loading position, as shown in Figure 2, the barrel s3 depends from yoke 9| "of the'elevator drive member 53 and in axial alignment therewith, as shown in Figure 2. In

this position the barrel 93 is contained within the large cavity 91 which opens into the side of the body member 48 through a lateral opening 98. The gun barrel, when in its retracted and loading position, as shown in Figure 2, sets into a recess 9S formed in the back side of the cavity 91. The extended or lower end of the barrel is tapered and the recess |06 conforms to form an outwardly sloping, deilecting shoulder which, upon downward movement of the barrel, in operation, directs the lower end of the barrel 93 outwardly in pivotal motion around the yoke pins 92 toward the opening 98.

Within the cavity 91 is a spring |0| in the form of a U-shaped strip, one end of which is fastened to the rear side of the cavity 91 opposite the openingV 9E. The otherV portion of the spring extends down through a U-shaped arc and upwardly along the opening 98 on the opposite side and is provided at the end with an inturned, bifurcated extremity portion |92 to form a deflector element. The deector element is adapted to coact with the shoulder |69 when the gun barrel is moved downwardly to swing the barrel 93 into a lateral position, as shown in Figure 6. The extremity 0f the deliecting element |02 engages one of the shoulders 94 provided at the breech end of the barrel 93 to yieldably retain the barrel in the laterally directed position.

At the rear side of the barrel cavity 97 is mounted a recoil shoe |03 which conforms to the exposed cylindrical contour of the breech end of the barrel. The lower end of the shoe may also serve as a support for the inner end of the spring |0|, as shown. 'I'he recoil shoe H33 carries adjacent its upper end an outwardly extending wedge shaped pin or actuator cam 88 adapted to ride through the cross slots |05 and IE5 provided in the gun barrel breech and recoil bushing, re-

spectively, and then into aligned slot 87 provided in the breech end of the cartridge.

The operation of the actuating mechanism for the gun perforator is as follows: Initially the parts of the actuating mechanism, including traveler |6 and shoulders d3, may be assumed to be in the dotted line position shown in the lower portion of Figure I. The latching arms 33 are in their outwardly expanded positions with the shoulders d3 resting on the top and circumferem tial portions of the cam surface of the retraction head 45 and the threads of the expanded traveler segments i6 disengaged and free of the threads of the jack screw |13. When the jack screw tf1! is rotated clockwise as viewed in Figure '7 by means of the electric motor l2, acting through the gear reduction unit I3, the latching arms 33 and traveler I5 are initially raised upwardly by the spiral cam surface. When the top of the cam spiral is reached the steps in the shoulders d3 are freed from contact with the circumference of the cam, thereby permitting the lat-ching arms to move radially inward. Further rotation of the retraction head 55 raises the outer lugs 34 into contact with the lower end 2'! of the latching liner 25, thereby forcing the latching arms to move radially inward and carry the segments of the traveler I6 into engagement with the jack screw.

Continued rotation of the jack screw then causes the threads of the traveler and jack screw to mesh and if the latching arms have not pre viously aligned with the sockets |99 in each traveler segment the traveler I6 turns relative to the latching arms until the lugs 35 drop into the said sockets to restrain the traveler segments from further'rotationwi-th respect to the jack;` screw. When this condition obtains, continued rotation of the jack screw raises the travelr le and cage 8, together with the plunger head 2t which is threadedly attached thereto, thereby compressing the actuator spring As the traveler reaches its upper position limit, the outwardly extending' lugs 3d of the latching arms, which during the upward travel have been restrained by the inner surface of the liner 25, drop into the groove 35 in the said liner 25, thereby momentarily looking the cage i3 against urther movement either upward or downward. Continued rotation of the jack screw results in continued upward movement of the traveler it against the compression of the traveler spring 323 until the lower portion of the traveler located below the sockets 15.19 is drawn through and clears the inwardly extending shoulders it of the latching arms t3. of the latching arms 32 to permit the inner lugs to be withdrawn from the sockets m2 and to move over the traveler shank is made possible by the movement of the outer lugs 3f@ into clearance space provided in the beforementioned grooves 36.

This stage of the operation can be determined by noting the reading on an ammeter or similar instrument associated with the surface power supply of the electric motor l2 to determine when the motor has picked up the additional load of compressing the traveler spring J9 and thus to permit the motor to be turned oi after the ac tuating spring 3G has been fully compressed, out beiore it has been released, so that the opera-ting cycle may be interrupted with the parts in the retracted position shown in Figures l and 2 ready for repetition of the operating cycle when def sired.

As soon as the lower shank end of the carrier lli clears the lugs 35 the latching arms are released inwardly, allowing the outer lugs 3d to move out of the groove 36. The cage it is. thus unlocked from both the liner 25 and the traveler il; with the result that the spring it drives the plunger head 2@ downward.

During the initial downward movement of the plunger head 26, prior to actuation of the eleva,- tor drive member i, the plunger rod 22 moves downwardly through the bore 52 in the said elevator 53 a distance equal to the length ci one cartridge. During this relative motion between the plunger 22 and the elevator drive member S3, the uppermost inner cartridge, located as shown at 53a in Figures 2 and 3, is pushed by the lower end of the said plunger rod 22 into the breech end of the gun barrel while the gun barrel remains in the aligned position shown in Figure 2. TJpon continued downward motion of the plunger head 2E) into actuating engagement with the elevator drive member' 53, no further relative motion between plunger rod 22 and the elevator member 53 takes place, but the resultant downward motion oi the plunger 22 and the elevator member 53 together causes the gun barrel to move from its vertical position, as shown in Figure 2, to the laterally directed position as shown in Figure 6.

When the apparatus is loaded in readiness for operation several magazine units t2 are normally contained one on top of another in the magazine shell. ln operation the cartridges of the uppermost magazine are removed rst, the last one in the magazine being a dummy cartridge, as shown in Figure 9, which becomes at- Sufficient outward movement Vbreech of the gun barrel.

tached tothe end of the'plunger -5 to serve as .an extension to the plunger to adapt it to move the cartridges from the next lower magasine. When a plurality of magazines are employed, the last cartridge in each of the magazines, except in the lowermost magazine, is a dummy cartridge of this construction, such cartridges being adapted to attach themselves end to end as the magazines are progressively exhausted, to extend the plunger as required to move the cartridges from the next lower magazine.

As before described, on each downstroiie of the plunger head 2e the initial portion of the motion moves the plunger rod i2 a distance equal to the length oi one cartridge with respect to the eleva# tor drive member 53 to force a cartridge into the During this initial motion of the plunger rod Z2 the elevator drive member is locked against motion by means of the lug 5l of latch te seated in the groove il@ in the magazine rod fili. At the end of the downward stroke or the plunger rod 22 into the drive member 53 he outer lug of the latch 5d drops into the notch ti of the plunger rod looking the plunger and drive bar together against further relative motion and at the same time releasing tlie inner lug 5l ci the latch from groove Si! in the magazine rod lit, thereby permitting the elevator member 5S to move downwardly together with the plunger and thus to swing the barrel S3 from its vertical or loading position to its lateral or firing position, as shown in Figure G. As the gun reaches its lateral position the actuating cam engages the ring pin i9, causing,r the firing pin to shear the iluid seal pin tu and iire the percussion element 8l. Upon return movement of the plunger head after ring the gun, both the plunger rod 22 and elevator member still locked together at .d-5i, move upwardly together, returning the barrel to its vertical or loading position. At this point the lug 5l of latch 5t falls bacl; into the groove Gil, looking the elevator member against further movement and freeing the plunger rod 22 for continuation oi its upward stroke through the drive member 53 to complete the cycle of operation for the loading and firing of one cartridge. On each down stroke of the plunger rod Ei the previously fired cartridge present in the gun barrel is iorced out through the muzzle by the entrance of the next succeeding uniired cartridge through the breech. rlChe thus ejected empty cartridge falls through the biiurcation formed in the end SSE or the spring le! and is retained in the cavity formed below the spring SEH in an adjoining housing which maybe thread edly connected at lll?.

lt will be seen from inspection of the aforementioned application that the cartridges herein shown are similar in their essential external fea-- tures to the core liner shown in said copcnding application, and that the construction therein shown is adaptable to the handling oi the gun cartridges. Consequently, the invention herein disclosed and claimed concerns particularly those features which convert my previously described structure to a gun perforator.

Various changes Aand alternate arrangements may be made within the scope of the appended claims, in which it is intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention.

I claim:

l. A, gun perforator cartridge comprising: an elongated tubular barrel liner closed at its breech end and containing a bullet at an intermediate portion thereof; a quantity or propulsive explosives between said bullet and said breech end; a ring pin contained in the breech end of said cartridge to nre said explosive; and a transverse slot across the outside surface of the breech end of said barrel liner exposing the outer end of said firing pin whereby said firing pin is protected, but may be actuated by a ring pin engaging member adapted to enter said slot and contact the exposed end of said firing pin.

2. A gun perforator cartridge comprising: an elongated tubular barrel liner closed at its breech end and containing a bullet at an intermediate portion thereof; a quantity of propulsive explosives between said bullet and said breech end; a percussion ignition element in the breech end of said cartridge for igniting saidpropulsive explosive; a iiring pin contained in the breech end of said cartridge to fire said percussion ignition element; and a transverse slot across the outside surface of the breech end of said barrel liner exposing the outer end of said firing pin whereby said Iiring pin is protected but may be actuated by a ring pin engaging member adapted to enter said slot and contact the exposed end of said firing pin.

3. A gun perforator cartridge according to claim 2 and a duid-tight closure at the muzzle end of said tubular barrel liner.

4. A gun perforator cartridge comprising: an

elongated tubular barrel liner closed at its breech i end and containing a bullet at an intermediate portion thereof; a quantity of propulsive explosive between said bullet and said breech end; a ring means in the breech end of said cartridge to re said explosive; a transverse slot across the outside surface of the breech end of said barrel liner exposing a portion of said firing means whereby said firing means is protected but may be actuated by a firing means engaging member adapted to enter said slot and contact the exposed end of said iiring means; and an orienting means formed in the breech end of said barrel liner adapted to register with a guide means whereby said ring pin engaging member may be guided to enter said slot.

5. A gun perforator cartridge comprising: an

elongated tubular barrel liner closed at its muzzle and breech ends and containing a bullet at an intermediate portion thereof; a quantity of propulsive explosives between said bullet and said breech end; a ring pin in the breech end of said cartridge to fire said explosives; a transverse slot across the outside surface of the breech end of said barrel liner exposing the outer end of said ring pin whereby said ring pin is protected but may be actuated by a firing pin engaging member adapted to enter said slot and contact the exposed end of said ring pin; and an orienting means formed in the breech end oi said barrel liner adapted to register with a guiding means whereby said firing pin engaging member may be guided to enter said slot.

6. A gun perforator cartridge comprising: an elongated tubular barrel liner closed at its muzzle and breechends and containing a bullet at an intermediate portion thereof; a quantity of propulsive explosives between said bullet and said breech end; a ring pin in the breech end of said cartridge to fire said explosives; a transverse slot across the outside surface of the breech end of said barrel liner exposing the outer end of said firing pin whereby said firing pin is protected but may be actuated by a ring pin engaging member adapted to enter said slot and contact the exposed end of said firing pin; and an orienting notch formed in the side of said breech end of said barrel liner adapted to register with a guiding means whereby said ring pin engaging member may be guided to enter said slot.

CULLEN J. MCWHORTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 624,146 Young May 2, 1899 1,835,722 Rembert Dec. 8, 1931 2,140,813 Ruther Dec. 20, 1938 2,169,671 Walker Aug. 15, 1939 2,402,153 Elliott June 18, 1946 

